30 review for
Ökyrikkaat aasialaiset

5 out of 5

Christine–Apr 15, 2013

I am Asian, I lived in Singapore, and I am not crazy rich - but I certainly heard of enough people on that tiny island who are. Ten years ago, I remember being addicted to a blog (now defunct) called "pinkshoefetish" where one Daphne Teo of Singapore documented every single materialistic extravaganza in her life - endless Tod's bags, Chanel, the luxurious apartment she (or her parents) rented when she was at Purdue (no stinky student dorms for her), her endless jet-setting to the most expensive I am Asian, I lived in Singapore, and I am not crazy rich - but I certainly heard of enough people on that tiny island who are. Ten years ago, I remember being addicted to a blog (now defunct) called "pinkshoefetish" where one Daphne Teo of Singapore documented every single materialistic extravaganza in her life - endless Tod's bags, Chanel, the luxurious apartment she (or her parents) rented when she was at Purdue (no stinky student dorms for her), her endless jet-setting to the most expensive hotels and restaurants in New York, London, Paris, etc. At that time, I wasn't even sure I could afford to go to college, so Daphne's blog was pure escapism (if not a source of resentment). I don't remember what her parents did to afford that lifestyle, but anyway, my point is - the crazy rich Asians of East and Southeast Asia do exist, and man do they live large. When I saw that a Singaporean had written a novel about them, and that it was in the hands of a major NYC publishing house, I couldn't wait to read it, to see what had caught the attention of these editors, so much that they were willing to take on a book about Asians, set in Singapore.
I got an ARC of the book from eBay and devoured it in two days. And, perhaps I am biased because of who I am and my (slight) exposure to that world, but I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. It satirizes the crazy rich Asian universe, but even with the exaggerations, my college friend, who is part of the Hong Kong version of the Wealthy Asian Club, would recognize so many aspects depicted in the novel - the lightning speed at which gossip travels, the focus on bloodlines and marriage, the clash between old money and new, and - most important I think - the tension between mainland Chinese and overseas Chinese, a phenomenon that is very real, very common, very much discussed in Asia, but pretty much unheard of in the West. When Singaporean Chinese "blue blood" Nick takes his American Chinese girlfriend Rachel home, his family is concerned that, yes, she might be a gold-digger, but their suspicions are heightened by the fact that she was - to their horror - born in mainland China, to a single mother (more strikes against her!). I laughed when I read that, because I was brought up in Asia where those prejudices are part and parcel of everyday life, but an American reader might find it offensive and racist - which it is, but in a "Chinese" sort of way that is not so much about hatred. The book shows how those prejudices are challenged as mainland Chinese grow richer and more influential, and the author sympathetically portrays both sides.
As for the actual storyline - it's a roller coaster ride that might be hard to keep up with at the beginning because of how many characters are introduced (and I always had my finger on the family tree Kwan provides in the book). I found it ridiculous that Nick and Rachel could have dated for years without her finding out about his background, but this is chick lit and so I willingly suspended disbelief and just let myself get carried along into the world of chili crab and nasi lemak. Kwan's writing is clear and breezy and skips along very well, and in the end I was left feeling like Rachel must have when she was plunked into this whirlwind world - amazed, dizzyfied, enlightened.
And it makes me want to go back to Singapore.
A great summer read!
(Oh - the gold and pink hardcover release is cute, but I love how the galley cover plays with the Hermès box design. Clever!)

4 out of 5

Emily May–May 05, 2018

"Imagine wanting to marry a girl from such a family! So disgraceful! Really, Nicky, what would Gong Gong say if he was alive? Madri, this tea needs a little more sugar."
This is some seriously trashy crack-lit. And no that's not a typo-- this book is as addictive and dramatic and ridiculous as you surely imagine it to be. I should probably hate it, but, well... oops.
You've definitely got to be in the mood for it or you'll wonder why you're actively murdering your brain cells. And I guess I was "Imagine wanting to marry a girl from such a family! So disgraceful! Really, Nicky, what would Gong Gong say if he was alive? Madri, this tea needs a little more sugar."
This is some seriously trashy crack-lit. And no that's not a typo-- this book is as addictive and dramatic and ridiculous as you surely imagine it to be. I should probably hate it, but, well... oops.
You've definitely got to be in the mood for it or you'll wonder why you're actively murdering your brain cells. And I guess I was definitely in the mood for it. Crazy Rich Asians follows the drama and scandals of some of East Asia's wealthiest families. Think filthy stinking rich: mansions, private planes, $25,000 dresses (I didn't even know such a thing existed), etc.
It's opulent, it's melodramatic, and it's completely nuts. This bunch of wealthy families all come together in Singapore for an extravagant fairy tale wedding. But the wedding is the very least of the drama. Nicholas "Nicky" Young, who has been living in New York, is about to bring his American-born girlfriend, Rachel Chu, to meet his parents for the first time, and his mother is almost certainly going to dig up some nastiness when she runs a background check on Rachel's family. Also, Rachel has no clue how rich Nicky is-- hell, is she in for a shock!
Then there's the beautiful Astrid, whose husband is probably having an affair, and she is about to go investigating to find out. Plus there's a bunch of other subplots about what these ridiculously rich people get up to. It is like the Asian version of all those terrible eighties soap operas like Dallas and Dynasty, and I say "terrible" but I totally used to watch reruns of those with my mum, too.
I don't know why I liked it; I just did. Maybe it's because I'm nosy and enjoy the drama of other people's lives. Maybe it's because these superficial rich people problems are an enjoyable break from the real world. Maybe it's because it does exactly what it says on the label. Maybe I just have terrible taste. Well, like I said... oops.
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4 out of 5

Miranda Reads–Apr 18, 2019

4.5 stars
Perfection comes at a sacrifice Nick Young (yes, THAT Nick Young) invites Rachel Chu, his longtime girlfriend, to spend the summer in Singapore and attend a wedding of an old friend.
Seems pretty simple, right? WRONG!
Nick just so happens to be heir to an obscenely large fortune - the kind of rich that are so rich that they don't even acknowledge that they have money.
But they do. And they have money and the money they have is a lot.
From private jets to houses that are more like pala 4.5 stars
Perfection comes at a sacrifice Nick Young (yes, THAT Nick Young) invites Rachel Chu, his longtime girlfriend, to spend the summer in Singapore and attend a wedding of an old friend.
Seems pretty simple, right? WRONG!
Nick just so happens to be heir to an obscenely large fortune - the kind of rich that are so rich that they don't even acknowledge that they have money.
But they do. And they have money and the money they have is a lot.
From private jets to houses that are more like palaces, Rachel Chu is about to have a surprise of a lifetime - especially when she meets his family. “I criticize you when you’re wearing something that looks so cheap. It’s a disgrace to me.” Rachel Chu is so NOT what Eleanor (Nick's mother) expected for her darling son.
Rachel is ABC (American-born Chinese), she works for a living and (above all) she's not even rich.
So, naturally, Eleanor assumes that Rachel is after Nick's money. And if there's one thing that can be said with absolute certainty, Chinese mothers are not afraid to get their hands dirty to protect their children. “You love your children so much, you do everything to try to protect them, and they don’t even appreciate it.” Meanwhile, Rachel slowly settles in - becoming friends with Astrid (Nick's cousin and most popular girl on the island) and meets Eddie (another cousin who flaunts his money).
As Rachel and Nick adjust to the Singapore society, the sharks are circling. “What is this, Harry Potter?” Nick sniggered. “That’s what you just sounded like. Yes, I am aware that even now dark forces are trying to sabotage me." Every Singapore girl knows that if Rachel snags a proposal from Nick, there goes their chances with the most eligible bachelor on the island.
And if there's one word to describe Singapore girls when they are threatened - it's ruthless. “I’ve had enough of being around all these crazy rich Asians,” Ultimately, I enjoyed this one so much.
It was a bit difficult to jump into this book - such a large revolving cast of characters - but once I got the hang of it, I really enjoyed everything about this book.
Everyone was obscenely and hilariously rich. Their personalities were so over the top and yet completely believable.
Eleanor, in particular, was an absolute hoot. She was that perfect b*tchy mother who "protected" her son despite all evidence to the contrary.
Rachel's character played well as the straight man of the skit - she felt very down-to-earth without overplaying the "homegirl" card. I definitely feel like I would have reacted the same way as she did in just about ever situation.
And Nick - with so many vivacious characters around him... he didn't really stand out. I felt somewhat ambivalent towards him - he was sweet, and a bit clueless, but not particularly gripping.
I loved all the side plots and petty gossip - there's nothing I love more than a scandal playing out in the juiciest way and this one was no exception. He would never give up trying. He would take an impossible situation and make everything possible. In short - utter brilliance.
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5 out of 5

Katie–Aug 24, 2013

I think another Goodreads reviewer said it best: "Shallow characters don't mean shallowly written characters."
And in the case of this book, the author didn't pick up on that memo. Shallow characters can be delightfully, wickedly compelling when they're written well. I mean, look at Anthony and Gloria in Fitzgerald's "The Beautiful and Damned", or Becky Sharp in "Vanity Fair" or heck, even Blair Waldorf in the "Gossip Girl" series if you're looking at more "chick-lit" examples. But the characters I think another Goodreads reviewer said it best: "Shallow characters don't mean shallowly written characters."
And in the case of this book, the author didn't pick up on that memo. Shallow characters can be delightfully, wickedly compelling when they're written well. I mean, look at Anthony and Gloria in Fitzgerald's "The Beautiful and Damned", or Becky Sharp in "Vanity Fair" or heck, even Blair Waldorf in the "Gossip Girl" series if you're looking at more "chick-lit" examples. But the characters in "Crazy Rich Asians" are so two-dimensional and flat you just can't care about them.
Also, a pet peeve of mine is when a writer TELLS me something rather than SHOWS me something. This entire book is all tell, no show. Except to show off the author's knowledge of designer labels. Slow clap.
Yes, this is a rather scathing review but I really don't understand all the hype surrounding this book, and I was hoping for more, well, substance (yes, from a glittery gold and hot pinkbook called Crazy Rich Asians, I know. But I think the setting and characters had some originality, timely relevance and promise and the author didn't deliver). Definitely disappointed.

5 out of 5

Emma Giordano–Jul 30, 2018

This was a really fun read. I went into it with the intention of consuming it just for entertainment purposes and not quality/depth which I think is the best mindset to read this story in.
CW: racial slurs, homophobia slurs, talk of cheating, prejudice/classism
I did not love the writing style of this novel (which I expected before going in.) The syntax was fairly weak and the voice of individual characters was not that strong. Also regarding the characters, the author has this habit of jumping b This was a really fun read. I went into it with the intention of consuming it just for entertainment purposes and not quality/depth which I think is the best mindset to read this story in.
CW: racial slurs, homophobia slurs, talk of cheating, prejudice/classism
I did not love the writing style of this novel (which I expected before going in.) The syntax was fairly weak and the voice of individual characters was not that strong. Also regarding the characters, the author has this habit of jumping between perspectives without warning? Each chapter begins with a description of what character point of views will be followed but throughout the chapter, but it changes frequently with no distinction. For example, a conversation may begin from Rachel’s perspective and describe her thoughts and internal reactions but two lines later without any indication, we will be in Astrid’s head. Of course, multiple perspectives are commonly featured in fiction, especially in third-person narratives, but the lack of structure and awareness for the reader was quite jarring and nonsensical.
Crazy Rich Asians is absolutely a plot-based series. You read it to follow these unique characters across this absurd journey of wealth, extravagance and drama. I will add that I particularly enjoyed the heavily influence of Chinese and Singaporean culture, albeit the wealthy side of that culture, because it is not something I am frequently exposed to. It’s fun, entertaining, and gripping. I did not expect to be as invested as I was!
I’m not particularly taken with many of the characters although I see their individual value to the story. Rachel was obviously the most enjoyable character of the story and I did end up really liking Nick, though I remained furious at how he handled exposing Rachel to his family situation for the entirety of the story. I have sympathy for Astrid and enjoyed the comic relief added by Peik Lin and Charlie. Though this is not the most ground-breaking cast of characters I’ve ever read, I can see myself becoming more invested in their lives as the series progresses.
I really enjoyed my time reading Crazy Rich Asians. I initially went into this book thinking I would be satisfied reading just the first installment and not finishing the series, but after finishing, I absolutely need to know where the story goes. If you’re a “trashy fiction” lover, this book is for you.

4 out of 5

Lauren–Nov 02, 2013

I have no closure.
I’m not quite sure what that ending was, but it’s really only an ending by dint of the fact there are no more pages.
I was enjoying this book. I could overlook the dull main characters, the hints of family drama and maneuvering that never went anywhere, the randomly dropped storylines … all of that, I could forgive because, hey, at the end of the day, Crazy Rich Asians is mindless fluff and thinking is contraindicated when reading mindless fluff. This mindless fluff, set among t I have no closure.
I’m not quite sure what that ending was, but it’s really only an ending by dint of the fact there are no more pages.
I was enjoying this book. I could overlook the dull main characters, the hints of family drama and maneuvering that never went anywhere, the randomly dropped storylines … all of that, I could forgive because, hey, at the end of the day, Crazy Rich Asians is mindless fluff and thinking is contraindicated when reading mindless fluff. This mindless fluff, set among the über-wealthy denizens of Singapore, was entertaining.
But here’s the thing: part of why I like mindless fluff, part of why I keep reading it despite plot holes and ridiculous, unrealistic twists that drive me nuts, is that I’m guaranteed an ending. An honest-to-goodness (usually happy) ending.
This book has no ending. What’s the point of reading mindless fluff without the satisfying conclusion?
The “ending” is as follows: multiple plotlines left dangling for a cutesy Hollywood-style last shot that solves nothing, two surprisingly nuanced parallel subplots (especially for brain candy) that were slowly built are ignored at a key moment, and some unnecessary melodramatic twists are thrown in over the last few pages rather than diving into the drama and tension built up in the previous 380 pages of the book. No. No. No. No.
I hate not having closure.
This has to be the set up for a sequel, right? Because that’s the only thing that makes this ending even sort of acceptable (although, even if it is the first of a series, this book needed more in the way of a resolution). Quasi recommended (depends on how you feel about having endings to your stories).
ETA: Before informing me that "there's a sequel!" please read the date of the review. Also, even having read the sequel, my opinion stands: even individual books in a series need closure.

4 out of 5

Lola –Jul 24, 2018

Anyone else super excited for the movie to come out?
I saw the trailer about a dozen times, and I decided that instead of eating my fingers while waiting for it to hit the cinemas, I would read the book.
Best decision ever. This is one of those instances where I recommend reading the book before watching the movie. There is a humongous amount of characters introduced, and so by reading about them first, you’ll be able to spot them more easily in the movie and thus enjoy their crazy personalities m Anyone else super excited for the movie to come out?
I saw the trailer about a dozen times, and I decided that instead of eating my fingers while waiting for it to hit the cinemas, I would read the book.
Best decision ever. This is one of those instances where I recommend reading the book before watching the movie. There is a humongous amount of characters introduced, and so by reading about them first, you’ll be able to spot them more easily in the movie and thus enjoy their crazy personalities more.
Though I’m not sure just how much from this first book the movie contains, because those were some packed, juicy four hundred pages. The movie would be ten hours long if everything were included.
It's so addictive. There are at least five subplots and, as mentioned, many people to meet. Nick’s mother is, as expected, demanding, but she’s not the only one who disapproves of his girlfriend, Rachel. At least 95% of his entourage want her gone.
There’s also Astrid, Nick’s cousin, who is very important in the story. She’s my favourite character. Rachel is very lovely, but her story is rather predictable as opposed to Astrid’s situation. She’s one of those rare rich people who don’t care to boast about the amount of money they possess.
It's absolutely unputdownable. A real page-turner. You want to be entertained by reading about some ridiculous DRAMA and SECRETS and SHENANIGANS? Come on, you know you want to.
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4 out of 5

Jaidee–Jul 20, 2013

1 star (actually half a star but I gave it a bonus half star for a couple of reasons) !!
-Writing-just awful-
-Storyline-started off fair and ended up ridiculous
-Dialogue-some of the worst I've ever read
-Characters- these are some of the most boring, empty-headed, vile and entitled people ever written about
Why the extra bonus half-star?
Surprisingly the writer had some talent in writing interesting and lush descriptions of exotic locales, architecture, fashion, cuisine and luxury goods. Believe it 1 star (actually half a star but I gave it a bonus half star for a couple of reasons) !!
-Writing-just awful-
-Storyline-started off fair and ended up ridiculous
-Dialogue-some of the worst I've ever read
-Characters- these are some of the most boring, empty-headed, vile and entitled people ever written about
Why the extra bonus half-star?
Surprisingly the writer had some talent in writing interesting and lush descriptions of exotic locales, architecture, fashion, cuisine and luxury goods. Believe it or not it was enough to keep me reading.
Secondly it was fascinating from a sociocultural perspective although I cannot attest to the accuracy.
Crazy Rich Asians was like seeing a fashionable fat drunk woman fall down.....you know you shouldn't keep looking but you just can't help yourself.

4 out of 5

jessica–Dec 04, 2018

nothing like a bunch of crazy, rich asians to make me feel like a boring, poor white girl. \_(ツ)_/
gosh, this book is wild. its a story lush in couture, and drama, and private jets, and drama, and more money than one even knows what to do with. oh, and did i mention the drama? its basically high-class catty gossip and i am here for it. such a funny and entertaining story that deserves all the attention its been getting recently!
also, i do think its worth mentioning that i saw the film before i r nothing like a bunch of crazy, rich asians to make me feel like a boring, poor white girl. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
gosh, this book is wild. its a story lush in couture, and drama, and private jets, and drama, and more money than one even knows what to do with. oh, and did i mention the drama? its basically high-class catty gossip and i am here for it. such a funny and entertaining story that deserves all the attention its been getting recently!
also, i do think its worth mentioning that i saw the film before i read this. and i know i am committing blasphemy by admitting it, but i actually think i prefer the film. not that the book isnt good, i just think that when it comes to a certain level of cattiness and gossip amongst 20+ characters where body language and looks are significant, its much easier to translate across a screen and more effective for the story. it also helps to see a visual of all the luxury to really get an idea of the type of wealth that is exhibited in the novel. so i highly recommend the movie! the book too, but definitely the movie!
↠ 4 stars

5 out of 5

Julie–Aug 23, 2017

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is a 2013 publication.
I guess I missed all the hoopla when this book was first released. It wasn’t until the third book started getting a little buzz that I became interested in reading this series.
So, I went in search of this first book- ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, and had no trouble finding a copy at the library- but- there was an abnormally long wait period for a book that is four years old! So, this series must be pretty popular!!
But, I have lots of books I needed Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is a 2013 publication.
I guess I missed all the hoopla when this book was first released. It wasn’t until the third book started getting a little buzz that I became interested in reading this series.
So, I went in search of this first book- ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, and had no trouble finding a copy at the library- but- there was an abnormally long wait period for a book that is four years old! So, this series must be pretty popular!!
But, I have lots of books I needed to read, so I didn’t mind waiting, and it helped that once I did get a copy I found myself totally immersed in the saga of these fantastically wealthy Asians, their romantic ups and downs, and their family dramas.
Rachel Chu has NO idea what she’s getting herself into when she agrees to attend the wedding of her boyfriend, Nicholas Young’s cousin, Colin, to Araminta Lee. Nick neglects to prepare Rachel for his outrageously rich, and ostentatious family, ignoring dire warnings from some of his family members, to give her a heads up. Nick will soon come to regret throwing Rachel into the mix headlong.
Astrid, Nick’s cousin, is an icon of the social pages, who is in a seemingly sweet and successful marriage, but apparently, not all that glitters is gold.
This book is a like a light -hearted soap opera and I see how this series could become a guilty pleasure. The cast seems enormous, but there is a sharper focus on Nick and Astrid and their relationship woes.
Still, the supporting cast is worth noting- Eddie is Nick’s cousin, who, despite his parents’ lineage and prestige is forced to live beneath the standards of his extended family, which causes him much embarrassment.
Eleanor is Nick’s controlling mother, who plots and schemes to keep him from proposing to Rachel.
Rachel’s mother, Kerry, gives calm, practical advice, and encouragement, in contrast to Eleanor, but is harboring a volatile secret that could ruin Rachel’s chance at happiness with Nick.
There are other supporting players, each with a unique role in the story, all adding a bit more depth to the story.
Normally, I struggle with novels featuring a large cast. I get confused easily and lose track of how the characters are connected and often have a hard time understanding what each one has to contribute to the story.
But, in this instance, ‘the more the merrier’ works perfectly. The author skips back and forth among the characters, giving each of them a moment in the spotlight, but mainly the focus is on the possibly doomed romance between Rachel and Nick and the breakdown of Astrid’s marriage due to class differences and the strain of pretending to be someone you aren’t.
This book is pure chick-lit, but with such vivid, hilarious, and outrageously over the top characters, it was never too heavy on the drama.
The author did a terrific job of showing the differences in generations- the old customs and versus the more relaxed exposure to western customs- the class divisions- the effect wealth has on those who are born into it as opposed to those who worked to achieve it.
The language is authentic, which required some footnotes the author graciously provided. I enjoyed learning about this culture in such a fun and easy way, although it does slow down the momentum, just a little bit.
Overall, this novel turned out to be more than I had anticipated, and I’m glad I discovered this series. I’m looking forward to the next installment and can not wait to see what these crazy rich Asians will get up to next!!

5 out of 5

Chelsea Humphrey–Aug 23, 2018

3.5 stars rounded to 4
I'm amazed at how long it has taken me to pick up this book. I remember being intrigued when it was first published; I had my own adventure in Singapore in 2004, which peaked my interest even more but, for whatever reason, it took the film adaptation being released to finally convince me to read it before seeing the movie. It was precisely what I had hoped for, a fun, fluffy read full of delectable "gossip" and drama, and to top it off the diversity of an all asian cast to 3.5 stars rounded to 4
I'm amazed at how long it has taken me to pick up this book. I remember being intrigued when it was first published; I had my own adventure in Singapore in 2004, which peaked my interest even more but, for whatever reason, it took the film adaptation being released to finally convince me to read it before seeing the movie. It was precisely what I had hoped for, a fun, fluffy read full of delectable "gossip" and drama, and to top it off the diversity of an all asian cast to boot. While it did feel a bit long for a fluffy read, it was kind of nice having a book on the side that I could pick up and put down as I felt lead; truly the perfect read to fill in between the gaps of heavier and darker stories. I laughed a lot, and I keep finding that I'm needing that more and more in my reading line up, but I also think this was due to the narrator's fabulous job of portraying the large cast in unique, individual ways. Although I'm unsure why the following two audible books in the series have a different narrator? At the end of the day, this was a fun read that gives us a sneak peak into the lives of Asia's crazy rich folks and their over the top lifestyles.
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Buddy read with Irina Humphrey, even though she already saw the movie. *Sipping my tea*

5 out of 5

Christi Cassel–Aug 04, 2013

From http://iknowwhatyoushouldread.wordpre...
Lest you be confused, this is not a book about crazy [comma] rich Asians. This is a book about crazy rich Asians. As in, stupidly, stupidly wealthy gazillionaire Asians. I had read an excerpt in Vogue, and it seemed like it might be good, fun summer reading, filled with fashion and snobbery and such. I am a lover and regular devourer of US Weekly, who loathes the fact that I do not come from a ton of old money, so this seemed right up my alley.
When I From http://iknowwhatyoushouldread.wordpre...
Lest you be confused, this is not a book about crazy [comma] rich Asians. This is a book about crazy rich Asians. As in, stupidly, stupidly wealthy gazillionaire Asians. I had read an excerpt in Vogue, and it seemed like it might be good, fun summer reading, filled with fashion and snobbery and such. I am a lover and regular devourer of US Weekly, who loathes the fact that I do not come from a ton of old money, so this seemed right up my alley.
When I got the e-book, however, I knew immediately that I’d been swindled. Before I had even begun reading, the book had two strikes against it:
Strike 1: it starts with a family tree, and
Strike 2: it has endnotes.
I just can’t get excited about a book that begins with a family tree. Now, before you get all up in arms and point out all the delightful and amazing books that begin with a family tree, I will admit that this is not a hard-and-fast rule. But my general opinion is that a book’s cast of characters should not be so convoluted that it requires a visual aid (one of the reasons I am content to stick with the television version of Game of Thrones, thank you very much). Plus, when you’re reading an e-book, it’s a huge hassle to have to refer back to the family tree. So, I audibly groaned when I discovered that this book has one. It’s a book about rich people. How complicated can it be? But the Crazy Rich Asians family tree is kind of catty and fun, so I decided to keep an open mind.
The endnotes aren’t a deal-breaker here, either. Normally, I hate them because they break up the flow of my reading. Also, they make me feel like I’m back in law school. And, too often, they’re used for cutesy purposes, which is nearly impossible to do well. That said, e-books make them slightly more tolerable, because you can just click on the endnote and it magically appears (constant page flipping in a “real” book is just too much). And these endnotes in particular aren’t bad, because they are in large part: 1) translations of Hokkein and Malay words and phrases and 2) descriptions of Singaporean foods. I’m a foreign languages nerd and a lover of delicious foods, so I didn’t hate the endnotes.
But all of that doesn’t matter. Because, family tree and endnotes aside, I still didn’t like the book. Here are three more strikes against it:
Strike 3: It’s too damn long (over 400 pages). The book is about a couple (Rachel and Nick) who are both profs at NYU and have been together for two years. Nick is going home to Singapore for his best friend’s wedding and asks Rachel to come with him. Despite the fact that they’ve been together for two years, Rachel knows nothing about Nick’s background and family and friends (it comes as a complete surprise to her that his family is crazy rich). Shocking excess and extravagance ensue. And (not even remotely a spoiler, because the book is so ridiculously predicatable) Nick’s mother and grandmother try to break Nick and Rachel up. WHY DOES THIS NECESSITATE 400 PAGES? It doesn’t.
Strike 4: People have described this as an amazing, hilarious satire. Basically, the book tries to make fun of crazy rich Asians, by showing that they’re snobby and elitist and old-fashioned. Well, I’m sorry, but my grandmother was not a crazy rich Asian (she was just a plain-old crazy Asian), and she was every bit as snobby, elitist, and old-fashioned as the grandmother in this book. The author manages to paint a picture of the fashion and houses and such that is completely over-the-top, but his characters are flat, flat, flat. They just weren’t well developed enough to make you give a shit.
Strike 5: The plot is boring and predictable.
Rating: 2/5

4 out of 5

Carol (Bookaria)–Oct 26, 2017

This book is deliciously entertaining.
Rachel is a professor of economics in NY who has been dating her boyfriend Nick for two years. One day Nick invites her to go with him to Singapore to attend his cousin's wedding and she agrees.
As soon as Rachel and Nick arrive at Singapore and meet his family, she realizes that Nick's family is filthy rich. Not just wealthy but $200,000-a-dress wealthy and this is a fact that he's failed to disclose to her.
Rachel soon finds herself dealing with nosy relati This book is deliciously entertaining.
Rachel is a professor of economics in NY who has been dating her boyfriend Nick for two years. One day Nick invites her to go with him to Singapore to attend his cousin's wedding and she agrees.
As soon as Rachel and Nick arrive at Singapore and meet his family, she realizes that Nick's family is filthy rich. Not just wealthy but $200,000-a-dress wealthy and this is a fact that he's failed to disclose to her.
Rachel soon finds herself dealing with nosy relatives, sumptuous meals, scheming social climbers, private jets, and drama, tons of drama. The novel is narrated from different points of view and is set mostly in Asia. My favorite character is Oliver because he is witty and a shameless schemer.
The novel is funny, interesting and addictive. Overall I enjoyed it and plan to read the sequels.
FINAL NOTE: a movie adaptation is in the works and encompasses an all-Asian cast. I am excited to see the movie and was happy to learn that Michelle Yeoh will be playing one of the main characters Eleanor Sung-Young. I first saw her on the amazing movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and have been a fan ever since.
UPDATE 8/20/18: Just watched the movie and it was AMAZINGLY GOOD. Loved it!!!

4 out of 5

Navidad Thélamour–Jul 21, 2018

With Crazy Rich Asians hitting the big screens in a few short weeks, many readers have decided to re-read this 2013 release – or, as in my case, have finally decided to read it. This, of course, has also been reflected not only in social media trends but on the New York Times bestseller list where Kevin Kwan’s debut novel has again easily nabbed a spot, despite having been originally released five years ago. I, myself, fell casualty to an impulse all book lovers are prone to: buying a book becau With Crazy Rich Asians hitting the big screens in a few short weeks, many readers have decided to re-read this 2013 release – or, as in my case, have finally decided to read it. This, of course, has also been reflected not only in social media trends but on the New York Times bestseller list where Kevin Kwan’s debut novel has again easily nabbed a spot, despite having been originally released five years ago. I, myself, fell casualty to an impulse all book lovers are prone to: buying a book because of its cover! I bought a copy of Crazy Rich Asians when it was first released because the sparkly gold cover drew my eye – and my wallet, apparently – like a magpie to all that glitters. So, when I put out the poll last month for which book I should read next, I was glad that this one won (by a LANDSLIDE, mind you) because I already had a shiny copy with an in-tact spine on my shelves ready to read!
Crazy Rich Asians is exactly what you’d expect with such a loud and gaudy title and the sparkly cover to match. The gist of the novel is that the ultra hunky Nicholas Young falls in love with Rachel Chu and decides to bring her to Singapore for his best friend’s wedding of the century event to introduce her to his folks…and all of the lavishness that comes with it. Rachel, having never known her beau was FILTHY RICH is shocked by what she finds—and the viciousness of his family and friends—toward her when she arrives. A series of comical events ensues over this few weeks, which we, the readers, are privy to.
The first thing you’ll notice, from page one, is that Crazy Rich Asians is ALL THE WAY OVER THE TOP as if Kwan just threw every lavish thing he could think of in there, including the deluxe, chef-grade kitchen sink! But, isn’t that what we picked this novel up for – a fun, feisty read that can be enjoyed simply for the setting and hilarity of it. This book was soaked in Asian culture, which was an added bonus I absolutely loved—from the Hokkien and Mandarin slang littered throughout the pages (thanks, Kwan, for the footnotes!) to the description of native dishes and cultural values. The scale of wealth, customs and rituals Kwan shows us is larger than life in all the most uproarious ways.
Of course, let’s be honest here: a novel like this is bound to be a bit over-embellished, like biting into a too-sweet Godiva chocolate bar, and that it was. But I enjoyed that bit of decadence; in that way, this book really lived up to its name – and the hype!
I will say that there were WAY too many POVs and unnecessary story lines here, which certainly contributed to the extravagant and superfluous page count. At times, pages upon pages were spent just describing the luxuriousness of these characters’ surroundings. In a single paragraph you’ll find references like: Venus de Milo, Battenberg lace tablecloth, and Louis Quatorze chairs in royal blue brocade. (And I found that by flipping to any random page lol.) Yet, to go along with this over-the-top style of writing—that we’ve all come to love enough to want to go see the film about it—the dialogue within these pages was always light and realistic, outrageous and totally hilarious. Yes, the ending was sopped in melodrama, like a Taiwanese soap opera, and rushed, as if Kwan suddenly realized he was over or nearing the 400-page mark for this novel and suddenly decided to STOP and continue on with it in book two. BUT, in the end, Crazy Rich Asians delivered all that it promised: the humor and the fun along with the crazy, the rich and the Asians. And for that, I serve up on a Harry Winston platter 4 sparkly, Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera-covered stars! ****
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4 out of 5

☘Misericordia☘ ~ The Serendipity Aegis ~ ⚡ϟ⚡ϟ⚡⛈ ✺❂❤❣–Dec 28, 2018

A pick-your-own-poison type of lit:
> Satirical
> Vapid
> Shallow
> Ridiculous
> Fun
> Twisty
> Trashy
> Tacky
> Sweet
> Soap-operish drama
I've learned more from this one about fashion than I've ever considered wanting to know.
Q:
Thank you Lord Jesus for the fellowship that we shared today, for the nourishing food we enjoyed, for the power of your holy word. Please watch over dear Sister Eleanor, Sister Lorena, Sister Daisy, and Sister Nadine, as they try to sell their Sina La A pick-your-own-poison type of lit:
> Satirical
> Vapid
> Shallow
> Ridiculous
> Fun
> Twisty
> Trashy
> Tacky
> Sweet
> Soap-operish drama
I've learned more from this one about fashion than I've ever considered wanting to know.
Q:
Thank you Lord Jesus for the fellowship that we shared today, for the nourishing food we enjoyed, for the power of your holy word. Please watch over dear Sister Eleanor, Sister Lorena, Sister Daisy, and Sister Nadine, as they try to sell their Sina Land shares … (c)
Q:
She knew her mother meant well, but as usual she had managed to stress her out about details Rachel never would have imagined (c)
Q:
Why did everything have to be so fraught with significance? (c)
Q:
To Eleanor, every single person occupied a specific space in the elaborately constructed social universe in her mind. (c)
Q:
But how exactly could he explain his family to her, especially when he had been conditioned his whole life never to speak about them? (c)
Q:
The only acceptable majors were medicine or law (unless you were truly dumb, in which case you settled for accounting). (c)
Q:
“Calm down and speak slower, lah. I can’t understand a word you’re saying. Now, why do you want to jump off a building? (c)
Q:
I’m counting on your kid to check my kid into rehab! (c)
Q:
“Rich, Entitled, Delusional … Families 101.” (c)
Q:
(Would someone actually play the didgeridoo while sitting on the loo?) (c)
Q:
I hate to point out the obvious, but here’s this tiny bird that’s been trying to get through a huge bulletproof glass wall. A totally impossible situation. You tell me it’s been here every day pecking away persistently for ten minutes. Well, today the glass wall came down. …
“Okay, so what would the blue jay do?” Nick asked.
“He would never give up trying. He would take an impossible situation and make everything possible.” (c)
Q:
“Could you ask your driver to step on his gas pedal and just run me over right now? Tell him to make it quick.” (с)

4 out of 5

emma–Dec 02, 2018

how to be a bad bookworm:
- watch the movie without reading the book
- wait 4 months
- add the book to your TBR once you can no longer resist hopping on the bandwagon

5 out of 5

Liz–Nov 01, 2017

This is soap opera light literature. It’s fun and easy, a beach read. However, someone picked this for our book club, and I’m wondering what the hell there is to discuss.
While Nick is an only child, this book encompasses his extended family. Keeping track of all the names and relationships can be a bit of a challenge. I almost wanted a scorecard. Nick works as a history professor in the States. Most of his family either doesn’t work or “works” for the family business and one of the interesting This is soap opera light literature. It’s fun and easy, a beach read. However, someone picked this for our book club, and I’m wondering what the hell there is to discuss.
While Nick is an only child, this book encompasses his extended family. Keeping track of all the names and relationships can be a bit of a challenge. I almost wanted a scorecard. Nick works as a history professor in the States. Most of his family either doesn’t work or “works” for the family business and one of the interesting points is how the different characters handle their wealth and to what extent they feel entitled.
Think Dynasty or Dallas for the 21st century. It’s materialism taken to the nth degree; like a house with a living room designed to recreate Versailles Hall of Mirrors. Or closets with different temperatures. Who knew leather needed it’s own temp control? And I admit to being so out of it that I didn’t even recognize half the brand labels.
This is a fast read. There are some laugh out loud moments. A lot of groans. Kwan has a definite tongue in cheek style. But like eating a dessert that’s too sweet, a little bit of this goes a long way. By the end, I admit I was skimming over some of the more decadent descriptions. But like sugar, there is also an addictive quality to this book. I kept picking this book up, reading just a bit more, anxious to see how it ends. And therein lies one of the problems. I know this is the first book in a trilogy, but most of the stories are left hanging. You really get no sense of how they will end. Which couples will get to live happily ever after? You’ll need to read book two and I wasn’t enthralled enough to invest the additional hours.

4 out of 5

Helene Jeppesen–Mar 10, 2018

I can’t believe I actually finished this book because this was really bad. Basically, according to this book, all rich people in Singapore are snobbish and bad human beings. They can’t even see beyond their rich way of thinking when a down-to-earth person approaches them and tries to make them see things from a different perspective. Actually, what they do instead (according to this novel) is to turn that down-to-earth person into someone who actually enjoys the crazy life style of jet planes, m I can’t believe I actually finished this book because this was really bad. Basically, according to this book, all rich people in Singapore are snobbish and bad human beings. They can’t even see beyond their rich way of thinking when a down-to-earth person approaches them and tries to make them see things from a different perspective. Actually, what they do instead (according to this novel) is to turn that down-to-earth person into someone who actually enjoys the crazy life style of jet planes, mansions, designer dresses and yachts because “no woman or man can ever really turn that down”.
Furthermore, everyone’s wealth is illustrated in EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER from start to finish, and while it was fascinating to read about in the beginning, it became pretty redundant towards the middle and intolerable in the end.
The characters’ view on life really put a sour taste in my mouth, together with the fact that the plot and everyone’s decisions didn’t make any sense. I gradually became more and more frustrated with everyone and everything instead of finding the humour and relaxing fun in it that so many people seem to have found.
All in all, what makes me give this book the lowest rating is its message which is, honestly, ugly and depressing: Money solves everything, and even though you don’t think you really want it, you do. Urgh! Mix that together with a bird that taps on your window in the morning to provide you with the solution to all of your problems as well as a rotten fish in your room - that’s “Crazy Rich Asians” for you.

5 out of 5

Roxane–Jun 15, 2013

Fun and dishy. So over the top it becomes nauseating in the way of such books. It's just too much. A parodic parody.

5 out of 5

Louise–May 25, 2013

They are crazy and they are rich. That is pretty much all I got out of it. 10% in and I can't stand to read any more of this vapid book. Somehow it was not the guilty pleasure I was looking for. Returning it back to the library.

4 out of 5

Heather K (dentist in my spare time)–Aug 26, 2018

The movie version of Crazy Rich Asians was so good it gave me chills. It had EVERYTHING: hot men, amazing costumes, comedy, romance, and an ending that I was squealing over.
So, of course, as a die-hard bookworm, I assumed the book would be even better. I was wrong.
The style of the book really didn't work for me. So many POV changes and over-the-top drama. I felt like I was reading a soap opera, and soap operas aren't my thing. It lacked the humor of the movie, the stunning visual effects of th The movie version of Crazy Rich Asians was so good it gave me chills. It had EVERYTHING: hot men, amazing costumes, comedy, romance, and an ending that I was squealing over.
So, of course, as a die-hard bookworm, I assumed the book would be even better. I was wrong.
The style of the book really didn't work for me. So many POV changes and over-the-top drama. I felt like I was reading a soap opera, and soap operas aren't my thing. It lacked the humor of the movie, the stunning visual effects of the movie, and the wow-factor of the movie. It just wasn't the same.
In this case, film wins, as painful as that is to admit.
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4 out of 5

Madeline–Jun 09, 2017

After being briefly obsessed with the Gossip Girl book series in high school, and then the show a few years later (and then abandoning it once Georgina reappeared with Dan's baby god that show was trash and I loved it), this seemed like the next logical step. Crazy Rich Asians is Kevin Kwan trying his hand at the ever-popular genre that can best be summed up as "hey look, rich people!" The fact that the rich people featured here are all based in Singapore, rather than America or Europe, gave the After being briefly obsessed with the Gossip Girl book series in high school, and then the show a few years later (and then abandoning it once Georgina reappeared with Dan's baby god that show was trash and I loved it), this seemed like the next logical step. Crazy Rich Asians is Kevin Kwan trying his hand at the ever-popular genre that can best be summed up as "hey look, rich people!" The fact that the rich people featured here are all based in Singapore, rather than America or Europe, gave the book an interesting dimension and gives Kwan a chance to (briefly) touch on deeper issues of prejudice and toxic social norms within the rich Singaporean community.
Our heroine is Rachel Chu, an economics professor who gets invited to spend a few months in Singapore with her boyfriend of two years, Nicholas Young. It seems to be a perfectly normal trip: Nick's best friend is getting married, and he wants to bring Rachel home to attend the wedding and meet his family. Once the couple arrives, however, Rachel gradually realizes that Nick hasn't been completely honest about the circumstances of their trip - Nick, it turns out, is part of one of the richest families in Asia, and the wedding they're attending is going to be one of the most expensive events in recent memory. Also Nick's grandmother lives in an estate (that's hidden even on Google maps) where she's waited on by two lady's maids and protected by armed guards. This is a world where women get together for Bible study to trade stock tips and compare their latest jewelry purchases, where Nick's cousin takes a trip to Paris every year to buy herself a new couture wardrobe, and a bachelorette weekend involves jetting off to a private island in Indonesia owned by the bride's mother.
In short: wealth porn. Dirty, nasty, xxx wealth porn.
At his best, Kwan is giving us a poor man's Bride and Prejudice (the movie that is, itself, a poor man's Pride and Prejudice) - in short, a cheap knockoff of a cheap knockoff. He's trying very hard for an Austen-like feel, in all the scenes where Rachel is scrutinized and gossiped about by everyone in Nick's family, who are all determined not to let him get further involved with someone they think is beneath him. One of the best scenes, that comes closest to the kind of story I think Kwan is trying to write, has Rachel listening in awe as a group of women kindly tell their friend that it's not even worth her time to marry a man worth only a few millions - and then they proceed to itemize all of her future expenses, from country club fees to private school tuition, to illustrate why this millionaire is too poor to support her lifestyle. Moments like these, that provide realistic glimpses into the world of the super-rich, are the best part of the book, but there aren't many of them.
This story got repetitive very quickly. First, Kwan's descriptions of the luxury Rachel witnesses don't vary much, so you end up reading a lot of lines about "the most delicious dessert Rachel had ever eaten" and "the biggest house Rachel had ever seen" and "the most luxurious this" and "the most expensive that." After a while, your eyes just sort of glaze over.
Another problem was that I quickly realized that there are only three kinds of scenes in this book, and Kwan just keeps repeating them with different characters and settings. Scene 1: Rachel and/or Nick go to some fancy location so the reader can gawk at the luxury along with the characters. Scene 2: Characters talk about how awful Rachel is, and trade gossip we've already heard. Scene 3: a side character has a scene unrelated to Rachel, Nick, or the main plot. Two of Nick's cousins each have their own subplot in this book, and both storylines don't really go anywhere interesting - but I guess that's what the sequels are for.
The ending was kind of jarring, too, because it was a completely different tone from the rest of the book. While most of Crazy Rich Asians is a fluffy romp through Rich People Land, with some fun backstabbing and gossip to keep things interesting, the last few chapters take a hard left turn into Harrowing Family Dramaville, and it suddenly turns into a bad Joy Luck Club knockoff. And it happens way, way too late in the story, so the book is over before we get a chance to adjust to the new tone - it never worked for me, and I suspect Kwan did it because he couldn't think of another way to end the book.
So overall, I was lukewarm on this one. But apparently there's going to be a movie version, and I'm excited about it for two reasons. First, I read somewhere that Constance Wu from Fresh Off the Boat is going to play Rachel, which is perfect - Rachel is kind of dull in the book, but she has flashes of sass and strength that Wu will be able to bring out. No idea who they're getting to play Nick, but he'd better be just oozing charisma, because Book Nick is basically a cardboard cutout that character tote around and prop up during scenes.
I'm also really excited to see this movie because I think this story is much more suited to a visual format - if we can just see the exotic, luxurious locations, that's better than having to sit through Kwan's dull descriptions. Plus, this book is so light on actual plot that they could probably condense it down to ninety minutes and wouldn't lose much.

5 out of 5

Elyse Walters–Feb 28, 2019

I’ve shared this story before - many times. Just not in a review.
I met the author -Kevin Kwan when he first wrote this book. He was great! I took my signed physical book home - sure I’d enjoy the book.
I wasn’t enjoying the characters or the drama - so I tossed it aside.
A couple years later - everybody was reading this book. I started seeing raving reviews. So I picked up my book to read again… And I had the same problem
Just not crazy about CRAZY RICH ASIANS.......AS A BOOK.....
SO....I TRIED AU I’ve shared this story before - many times. Just not in a review.
I met the author -Kevin Kwan when he first wrote this book. He was great! I took my signed physical book home - sure I’d enjoy the book.
I wasn’t enjoying the characters or the drama - so I tossed it aside.
A couple years later - everybody was reading this book. I started seeing raving reviews. So I picked up my book to read again… And I had the same problem
Just not crazy about CRAZY RICH ASIANS.......AS A BOOK.....
SO....I TRIED AUDIOBOOK..
MY 3rd attempt!
I downloaded the library Audiobook - nope - still never made it to the end. By now I knew the characters better, though. But the whole premises bored me.
THEN....I saw the movie....and LOVED IT! REALLY LOVED IT!
But - no - I’m not going to try a 4th time to read the book. I’m dropping my copy off at “The little Library” box a few houses down. That’s it - done! No interest in reading the follow up books either.
I still think the author is a great guy though! Glad he has many reading fans.
I bring this review & my gut truths forward today ..... déjà vu..... as I’m having the same ‘so so’ experience with
another book I’m about to DNF....
EXPECT TO SEE *TWO* DNF books from me today....
Same problems are showing up for me in: “Family Trust”, by Kathy Wang.
In BOOK FORM... sarcasm and stereotyping just kind of gets to me and I don’t feel the sincerity enough. I'm discovering that qualities I enjoy and movies are not always the same qualities I enjoy in books.
I had the same problems with “Little Fires Everywhere”, by Celeste Ng, ......( everyone seemed to love the book more than I did)
But in that case I did finish it......and still rated it 4 stars, for excellent writing.
I’m guessing I’ll enjoy the MOVIE of LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE *more*.
It’s me - not others - not the books-
I’m not a big Bill Bryson fan either..... there are some types of humor/sarcasm/stereotyping… That I don’t enjoy as much as others.
Thanks for reading this vent if you did....
Now to write one more DNF review.
Not complaining- I mean no problem for me if I don’t like a book - I know it happens - and moving on gets easier to do for me today. I no longer feel the need to stay with any book I want to drop for any reason
Maybe this is just another step of learning in my own ‘late bloomer’ reading experience. I trust ‘myself’ more today to be able to let a book go than I did when I was more of a newbie die hard reader.
It’s READING that taught me this lesson.....
“I’ll keep reading until the day I die, but I can also let some books go, too”!

4 out of 5

Jennifer–Sep 21, 2017

Crazy Rich Asians is part satire, part romance, part family drama, part Mean Girls, and 100% entertaining. When it comes down to it, the lesson learned is that every parent wants their child to be set up for success in the best possible way, even though the method may seem maddening. It is the first installment in a series by the same name and I am excited to continue. Check it out!!
My favorite quote:
"There is nothing in the world that good food cannot fix."

5 out of 5

Kelly (and the Book Boar)–Jul 10, 2013

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Words cannot express how much excite I have for the upcoming film version of this book - but this gif does a pretty decent job : )
Rachel Chu has NOOOOOO idea what she’s getting into when she agrees to accompany her boyfriend Nick to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. As professors struggling to make tenure in New York City, Rachel and Nick live a very modest lifestyle. Little does Rachel know that Nick’s upbringing was ANYTHING Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Words cannot express how much excite I have for the upcoming film version of this book - but this gif does a pretty decent job : )
Rachel Chu has NOOOOOO idea what she’s getting into when she agrees to accompany her boyfriend Nick to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. As professors struggling to make tenure in New York City, Rachel and Nick live a very modest lifestyle. Little does Rachel know that Nick’s upbringing was ANYTHING but simple. After stepping off the plane, Rachel finds herself tossed into a whirlwind of palace-like homes, private jets and haute couture – all with a man she’s starting to realize she doesn’t really know at all.
I don’t even know what to say about this book. I’m exhausted. I feel like I was a part of the wedding week from Hell. My sides hurt from laughing – it was absolutely hilarious. Take all of the pain/sadness/suffering that can be found in the works of Amy Tan and just flip the script. It was like a grown-up Mean Girls – set in Asia (Nick’s mother? Francesca? Ugh – BITCHES!). Kevin Kwan really knows his opulence, and his descriptions of the lavish lifestyles of the various characters left me sometimes drooling in envy and sometimes ready to gag for the gaudiness. A remarkable debut novel with a cast of (pretty well-developed) characters as long as my arm. 4 Stars because I’m greedy with my 5-Star ratings and the last 100 pages lost a little of the mojo that had propelled the first three-quarters of the book.

5 out of 5

Trina (Between Chapters)–May 25, 2018

Content Warnings:
-Racial slurs toward black people, Indian people, Romani people. (Used casually by the "likeable" main characters as well as the ones we're supposed to hate.)
-Slurs toward gay people.
-One scene depicting a graphic dog fight (chapter 9).
-One instance of a father threatening violence toward a child.
-Cheating is a major theme throughout.
-Classism (that's probably obvious).
-Lots of prejudice from and toward different Asian ethnicities.
I'm not saying any of these things are unrealis Content Warnings:
-Racial slurs toward black people, Indian people, Romani people. (Used casually by the "likeable" main characters as well as the ones we're supposed to hate.)
-Slurs toward gay people.
-One scene depicting a graphic dog fight (chapter 9).
-One instance of a father threatening violence toward a child.
-Cheating is a major theme throughout.
-Classism (that's probably obvious).
-Lots of prejudice from and toward different Asian ethnicities.
I'm not saying any of these things are unrealistic of anyone's experience within social circles like this, I'm just pointing them out for anyone who may be hurt by these topics and wish to avoid.
I can't personally speak to the Singaporean and Chinese representation but I did enjoy having this peek into these characters lives. I think you'd like this if you enjoy soapy dramas and miscommunication.
The thing I least enjoyed was the constant cattiness of the women. The female characters were all so competitive and judgmental of each other. This can certainly be realistic but I think it hit me the wrong way since this was written by a man. It seemed quite sensationalized.
Personally, I didn't find this fluffy or romantic at all. I spent the entire book being angry at Nick for throwing Rachel into this situation with no preparation. He and other male characters have the mentality that they know what a woman wants better than the woman herself does and not taking no for an answer. There was a lack of depth, especially in Nick's character, that meant I didn't care about their relationship at all. Their supposed romance was all telling and no showing. I wish the story had focused more on Nick and Rachel so that we could get more invested in them.
Despite these things, it was still enjoyable and I've requested the sequel. I'm excited about the movie.
Audiobook: In one or two places I noticed that the book would say a character was shouting but the narrator would read the dialogue in a calm voice. Aside from this, the narration was great and I would recommend the audio version.

4 out of 5

Nenia ✨ Literary Garbage Can ✨ Campbell–Nov 07, 2018

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Hi, let me tell you about this book. It was SO good and I say that honestly (#NotSponsored). But seriously, you know that I'm not afraid to take the utter piss out of an over-hyped book (see anything I've reviewed by Sarah J. Maas), so when I read something like this and say it's awesome, please know that I have absolutely no reason to lie. CRAZY RICH ASIANS is crazy good.
So what's it about? Well, the story itself isn't that original. We'v
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Hi, let me tell you about this book. It was SO good and I say that honestly (#NotSponsored). But seriously, you know that I'm not afraid to take the utter piss out of an over-hyped book (see anything I've reviewed by Sarah J. Maas), so when I read something like this and say it's awesome, please know that I have absolutely no reason to lie. CRAZY RICH ASIANS is crazy good.
So what's it about? Well, the story itself isn't that original. We've all read and watched rags-to-riches chicklit, whether it's DEVIL WEARS PRADA (book or movie) or that mid-2000s classic, What a Girl Wants. There is something very satisfying about watching Jane Everygirl soar up the class system, sticking her nose up (very good sportsmanship-like, of course) at the people who oppressed and snubbed her when she was just a humble pleb. This is a story that nobody gets sick of. We, as a society, eat this story up like it's a nacho-cheese drizzled tray of curly fries at the fairgrounds.
No, what makes this story special is that it takes this tried-and-true formula and it sets it in Asia. And before you say, "What, what about MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA?" No, White Person (because you probably are a white person if this is your rallying cry). That is different, because MEMOIRS was written by a white dude from a white dude's perspective of what Asia is like. And as much as I enjoy that book (I did, guiltily), there is something vastly different about a book written by someone who is only observing a culture through secondary sources and someone who has experienced it firsthand, and is writing not just based on their observations but also based on what they, personally, experienced from within.
Rachel Chu is a likable, intelligent, girl-next-door type professor of Economics who has been dating her fellow professor/Singaporean boyfriend for two years. When one of his old chums is engaged to be married, Rachel is invited to accompany him back to Singapore as a guest of the wedding, but also to meet the fam. She's excited - THIS IS THE BIG NEXT STEP - but also a little afraid. Nick, her boyfriend, has never said much to her about his family before, and this worries her. And she should be worried, because they are basically the Carnegies of Asia. They have their fingers in all the pineapple pies, and want nothing to do at all with Rachel, the gold-digging interloper (in their minds).
What follows is several hundreds of pages of drama, running the gamut of conspicuous consumption and materialism, cheating and adultery, cruel hazing, superficiality, gossip-mongering, family drama, abuse, lies, and MORE. It should have been vapid, what with all of the name-dropping of luxury products and jet-setting, but it wasn't. The only other author who I've read that was able to do this "ennui of the rich and famous" style of writing was Jackie Collins, and based on what I've read thus far, Kevin Kwan is basically the Asian Jackie Collins, which was incredibly refreshing, because there are only so many times that you can read about rich white people living it up in London, New York, and Los Angeles, before you start to feel a little, well, bored.
Rachel is a really likable character and except at the end, when she starts blaming her mother for something that wasn't really her fault, I was constantly rooting for her and Nicky. I loved Astrid, Nick's troubled and gorgeous socialite cousin. I liked Peik Lin, Rachel's conveniently rich BFF (and advocate). I loved Rachel's Mom, Kerry, and her backstory at the end nearly broke my heart and left me teary-eyed. It just goes to show how much mothers will sacrifice for their children. That said, the only thing I didn't like about this book was the lack of closure. The book ends in a very inconvenient and unfinished spot (probably because there are two sequels), but it feels very anticlimactic since things are never really squared with Eleanor, Nick's scheming snobby mother, Francesca, the resident mean girl, and also between Nick and Rachel themselves, who are a constant will they/won't they? This was very disappointing and I felt like it wasn't fair to the reader. It wasn't fair to ME.
I desperately need to find out what happens next. The two sequels are already on hold at the libs.
4 to 4.5 stars

4 out of 5

April–Aug 03, 2018

A fun and wildly entertaining summer read.

5 out of 5

may ❀–May 08, 2019

this book is the GOOD kind of dramatic trash that keeps you going, honestly this was a ride and i was here for it
pros
- ridiculously dramatic rich asian families
- i'm not kidding, the book begins with this wealthy asian family BUYING an entire hotel bc the front desk clerk is racist and won't give them a room
- they BOUGHT the ENTIRE HOTEL and then fired the clerk so fast i'm
- that's the kind of Petty we're dealing with (i love it)
- i love astrid so much omg give my girl the life she deserves this book is the GOOD kind of dramatic trash that keeps you going, honestly this was a ride and i was here for it
pros
- ridiculously dramatic rich asian families
- i'm not kidding, the book begins with this wealthy asian family BUYING an entire hotel bc the front desk clerk is racist and won't give them a room
- they BOUGHT the ENTIRE HOTEL and then fired the clerk so fast i'm
- that's the kind of Petty we're dealing with (i love it)
- i love astrid so much omg give my girl the life she deserves (we better get freaking more of her)
- i also love rachel
- the story is so rich with asian (especially Singaporean) culture, language, and traditions
- the characters are all so unique and fleshed out
- it's crazy entertaining with all the drama
cons
- there are SO MANY POINT OF VIEWS and CHARACTERS and BACK STORIES i mixed them up so frequently idk who's who at this point
- look, my favourite couple is CLEARLY nick and rachel, but nick springing his WHOLE family and their crazies on rachel without preparing her beforehand is Big Yikes
- the ending was Weak. definitely could have been a liiiiitle more conclusive rather than just throwing a bunch of facts at us and being like 'lol do what you want with this info'
this was really fun and now i need to watch the movie and get the next book
3.5 stars

4 out of 5

Skyler Autumn–Aug 22, 2018

2 Stars
Definitely late to the game on this one but better late than never. Crazy Rich Asians like the title suggests is about crazy rich Asians. Told in multiple perspectives this novel takes readers into the lives of exuberant wealthy individuals think Bill Gates level, the type of people that make millionaires look impoverished.
Here's my unpopular opinion; I preferred the movie. The movie knew what it was about; fun visuals, comic relief from Awkwafina and Ken Jeong, short running time, and 2 Stars
Definitely late to the game on this one but better late than never. Crazy Rich Asians like the title suggests is about crazy rich Asians. Told in multiple perspectives this novel takes readers into the lives of exuberant wealthy individuals think Bill Gates level, the type of people that make millionaires look impoverished.
Here's my unpopular opinion; I preferred the movie. The movie knew what it was about; fun visuals, comic relief from Awkwafina and Ken Jeong, short running time, and simple but cute romantic central story. The book in comparison was about 200 pages too long, had so many characters that for the first few chapters I panicked thinking "shit! which one of these names should I be retaining for future chapters?" The first part also read like a Sky Mall catalogue for the rich and famous, the whole novel had zero comedy, it had these flashbacks of unnecessary origin stories for friendships/relationships that just increased the never ending page count but added nothing to the plot, it had exposition up the wazoo that was brought in with the guise of gossiping communities and then the author decided to give lengthy chapters to the most nauseating spoiled character in the world (Eddie). Honestly Eddie was so annoying to read and disgusting. The author could have been funny and satirical about the spoiled brat nature in those communities and made it like Patrick Bateman in American Psycho and his morning routine or emotional breakdown over his business cards but instead it was just as if I read the diary entry of a Kardashian which left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
All and all, I think the movie just was more self aware of what it was, a light fun romantic comedy. The novel tried to be a drama, mixed with romance, mixed with history, and then landed on nothing. I won't be continuing on with this series. Too many books too little time to read about rich people problems (which I think is the title of his last novel) at least he's nailing it on titles.

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